Jury Finds Hall Guilty of Stealing Cars from Local Business

State Attorney Melissa Nelson announces that a Duval County jury found Elijualwon Hall guilty of Burglary to a Structure/Conveyance and two counts of Grand Theft Auto. With the verdict, Hall faces up to 30 years in Florida State Prison. The Honorable Jeb Branham will sentence Hall at a later date.

On Oct. 22, 2023, Hall unlawfully entered an enclosed property of a Myrtle Avenue business, stole a Mercedes Benz SUV out of a shipping container, and proceeded to drive through the business’s gate. On Oct. 23, 2023, Hall returned and stole a BMW SUV out of the same shipping container. Both incidents were captured on video surveillance. Officers with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office were later able to recover both cars that were found less than a mile away from the business. The BMW, which was recovered Oct. 24, 2023, was found broken down because it ran out of gas. Earlier that same day, the victim had reported to officers that Hall had stopped by the business that morning to ask for gas and/or gas money. At the same time, a witness was talking to Hall nearby; officers made their way to their location and asked Hall about the stolen cars. Hall placed the keys to the Mercedes and BMW on the back of the victims’ car when officers made contact with him. Police tested the keys to ensure that they belonged to the stolen vehicles, which they did.

The case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Nick Salatino and Michael Eckhart.